


Going Crazy

by cestlavieminako



Category: Kamen Rider Kuuga
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Eggs, M/M, Sex Pollen, maybe slight dubcon?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:44:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24312178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestlavieminako/pseuds/cestlavieminako
Summary: None of the Unidentified Lifeforms had ever exploded in a cloud of strange dust before, but that was really the least of Godai and Ichijou's worries.
Relationships: Godai Yuusuke/Ichijou Kaoru
Comments: 96
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mentions of spoilery stuff from episodes 19-20

“It was last sighted on the roof!” Ichijou called after Godai, as they raced into the building. 

Godai had been tempted to transform and use Kuuga’s blue form to get to the roof immediately, but he wanted to save all of his strength for the fight ahead. He was beginning to get the hang of things now, but the Unidentified Lifeforms were crafty, and some of them were stronger than others. It wouldn’t do to show up to the fight at anything less than full power.

But then again, with their plan of running up the stairs to reach the creature…which would be worse? Arriving winded, or using some of his power to simply leap up to the roof?

The elevator in the lobby seemed like a godsend, even if it _would_ essentially trap them. But was a stairwell any better? They could very easily lose their footing if a fight broke out, or the Unidentified Lifeform could simply grab them and pitch them over the railing.

Making his decision, Godai pressed the up button, and the elevator doors dinged open.

“Do you think this is the best idea?” Ichijou asked, rifle at the ready.

“I think whatever route we take has its own dangers,” Godai admitted, as they stepped inside, and he pressed the button for the roof. “This’ll be faster, at least. Quieter, too.”

Ichijou nodded, and they watched the floor numbers tick by as they continued their ascent. “Just so long as it doesn’t realize that we’re here…”

The words had no sooner left his lips, when there was a mighty crash on the roof of the elevator. The lights flickered, most of them going out, and Ichijou noticed a large dent near the hatch. He hesitated; would it be wise to fire a warning shot at the thing? Probably not…he didn’t dare risk hitting something very important and vital to their survival in this small box. What had they been thinking?

“Henshin!” Godai shouted, quickly changing into his blue form, and he leapt upward, punching the hatch out, and after a few moments, Ichijou could hear the sounds of fighting from…somewhere in the elevator shaft? He couldn’t tell; the sounds echoed through the shaft, and his anxiety was high, hoping that the cables that held the elevator car were strong enough to hold up to whatever may happen out there, or he would find himself heading back to the ground floor very abruptly. He couldn’t see a thing, even when he stood beneath the open hatch.

Then there was a sound of contact, a bright swell of light, and then something was falling into the elevator. Ichijou jumped back, shaking his head, trying to knock loose the…dust? Powder? What _was_ it? It was difficult to see, with most of the elevator’s lights out.

Kuuga dropped back into the elevator, then the armor disappeared to reveal Godai, who looked just as perplexed by the swirling mess floating through the air. “What the heck is this stuff? I think it came out of the Unidentified Lifeform when it exploded…”

Before he could finish speaking, he found himself with an armful of Ichijou, and then, absurdly, Ichijou was _kissing_ him. They both tumbled to the elevator floor, sending the strange dust puffing up into the air around them once again.

By the time Godai managed to break free from the intense liplock, they were both coated with a thin layer of the dust. “Ichijou-san…”

Ichijou’s hands slid beneath Godai’s shirt, fingers moving across his chest, and it felt as though the touch was pure electricity. A soft moan left Godai’s lips, before Ichijou’s met his again, and suddenly, questioning any of this was the furthest thing from his mind. Ichijou ground against him, soft whimpers echoing in his throat, and suddenly Godai wanted to be inside him. 

Perhaps Ichijou was having the same thoughts, as Godai felt his hands tugging insistently at his clothing. His own hands moved up to Ichijou’s jacket, pulling the cumbersome thing off his body, before he began fumbling with his necktie. It was barely unfastened before he moved on to the buttons on Ichijou’s shirt. Why did his clothes have to be so _complicated_? A small sound of impatience escaped Godai’s lips before he gave in, ripping the shirt open and shoving it and the suit jacket off Ichijou’s shoulders, feeling him squirm to finish removing the garments.

Godai’s teeth latched onto Ichijou’s collarbone, and the sweetest sound echoed in the elevator.

“Godai…please, please fuck me, I need you inside me _now_ , please..!”

The slacks made it off Ichijou’s body more or less intact, and Godai struggled to remove his jeans. As soon as his cock was free, he was going to give Ichijou-san what he wanted, he would bury himself inside him and make him call out his name.

 _No, not yet_ , an irritating voice in his head protested. _He isn’t ready for you yet._

Oh, but he _was_ , Godai wanted to protest, feeling Ichijou’s body sliding against his, feeling him already straddling Godai’s hips and rutting desperately against him, which was making it so damn difficult to finish undressing!

But Godai had that one moment of clarity to remember the small bottle of lube he’d stashed in his coat pocket, for…well, for _this_. No, not exactly like this was playing out, but…he _had_ purchased it with the intent—the hope—of using it with Ichijou. If it had turned out that he felt the same way that Godai did.

While he still had even a hint of control—everything was so hazy, Ichijou’s kisses so sweet, his touch like fire zinging through every nerve in his body—he flicked the cap of the bottle open, pouring some of the lube on his fingers, reaching back to cup Ichijou’s backside with one hand while he worked one finger inside of him, perhaps a bit faster than he should have, but god, even _this_ was so difficult. He didn’t want to wait!

Ichijou’s body shuddered against his, his fingers reaching up to tangle themselves in Godai’s hair, while the other hand busied itself with Godai’s jeans once again.

Then Ichijou’s back met the floor, sending up another small puff of the dust, and his arms were drawn up over his head, wrists pinned down by Godai’s grip. A second finger pushed inside of him, and his head fell back, his body writhing beneath Godai’s. “Please, Godai!”

Godai knew he should continue what he was doing, that Ichijou surely needed more prep time, but he simply couldn’t resist the sounds he was making, the way he hooked a leg around Godai’s hip and tugged him closer. He needed to claim Ichijou _now_ , make him his!

Godai shifted, not releasing Ichijou’s wrists as he finally kicked off his jeans and boxers, not wasting another moment as he began to hurriedly push inside Ichijou’s body.

Ichijou’s body arched up against him, his lips parting as he moaned Godai’s name.

It was everything Godai had hoped it would be, and he wanted to hear more. He managed to keep his thrusts slow and shallow for a bit, so Ichijou could get used to him, but each plunge into Ichijou’s body had the other man’s voice raising higher and higher in complete pleasure, and soon, Godai had to increase his pace. He needed to move faster. He needed to hear more of Ichijou’s cries, the wonderful way he called out Godai’s name with each thrust. Godai wanted to keep going until he came deep inside his body, then simply flip him over and bury himself in him again, to continue fucking him until he was completely sated.

Somehow, Godai knew that time was a long way off. At least they wouldn’t be disturbed in here.

Godai’s first orgasm caught him by surprise, and his hips snapped against Ichijou’s body one last time, Ichijou’s name leaving his lips in a whisper as he emptied himself into his body.

Ichijou tugged his wrists free, and then he was pushing Godai onto his back, their bodies still connected as Ichijou began to awkwardly ride him. “Don’t stop, Godai…I need more, that wasn’t enough!”

Godai had to agree; that hadn’t been nearly enough. Being inside Ichijou felt so wonderful, like they had been made for each other. His hands moved up to Ichijou’s hips, and he began thrusting up into him. Ichijou sagged against him, and Godai wrapped his arms around the other man’s body, both of them groaning in pleasure as he increased his pace. He nipped sharply at Ichijou’s neck, drawing a surprised gasp from his lips, and he felt Ichijou’s release splatter between them, smearing across their bodies as they continued to writhe against one another. “Mine…you’re mine, Ichijou-san,” he breathed against Ichijou’s neck, all but growling as he came inside of him once again.

Then Ichijou was slithering out of his arms, and Godai lost that marvelous contact with the other man. But before he could protest, he felt Ichijou beginning to push inside him. A voice somewhere in the back of his head was saying something about needing to be prepared first, but…why? Why wait? Ichijou was mewling in pleasure as he continued to sink into him, and any discomfort was quickly forgotten when Ichijou hit a spot that made Godai see stars. His body bucked, and he noticed only a small disturbance of that odd dust this time. Was it just him, or did it seem like there was far less than there had been?

His thoughts were quickly pulled back to the present as Ichijou hit that spot again, his lips quirking up into a smile as Godai cried out in pleasure, and he continued hitting that spot until Godai cried out his name, his release splattering over his chest and stomach. As soon as Godai’s body clenched around Ichijou’s shaft, he groaned in pleasure as he came.

Ichijou withdrew from Godai, sagging onto the floor beside Godai with a sated smile. He felt Godai curling up behind him, draping his trenchcoat over them both. Godai’s lips pressed to his neck, hand splaying across Ichijou’s chest as he slid into him once again, thrusting into him slowly and deeply, until Ichijou’s chest was pressed against the floor, Godai’s breath hot against his ear, until he came with a long, low growl that echoed off the walls.

*

“It seems like we were under the influence of…some kind of aphrodisiac,” Ichijou said, hours later, after they’d woken up and quickly slid out of each other’s arms, grabbing their clothing from where it laid on the floor, just the barest hint of the dust still present. Thankfully, whatever had made it so potent seemed to have worn off. Plus there was considerably less of it. At least shaking out their clothing didn’t give them the unbearable desire to hump one another like rabbits.

“I guess so?” Godai replied.

A frown settled on Ichijou’s features when he realized that his shirt had been ripped open. He’d need to go get a fresh one before returning to police headquarters. Hopefully the crew that was coming to get the elevator running again wouldn’t notice how disheveled they both looked, or notice the heavy scent of sex in the air. “We assaulted each other.”

Godai glanced at Ichijou, his face flushing as he remembered how desperate the other man had been, how much he’d been begging…but he hadn’t been in his right mind. And neither had Godai himself. God. “Yeah,” he finally sighed. “We definitely did.” After a moment, his wide eyes met Ichijou’s. “Are you going to arrest me?”

“No, no. I’d have to arrest myself as well,” Ichijou finally said. “The best thing to do is just…forget that this happened. You defeated the Unidentified Lifeform, but it damaged the elevator. Maybe the sudden stop knocked us both unconscious. That could account for the time that’s passed.”

“Ichijou-san…I’m sorry. If this ever happened, I didn’t plan on it being like this…”

Ichijou held up a hand, and Godai pressed his lips together. He’d gone and said too much, hadn’t he? Had he just made things worse? 

But then, the elevator lights came back on, and it began to slowly descend to the ground floor. Ichijou fidgeted with his trenchcoat, buttoning it up so the damage to his shirt wouldn’t be visible.

That was the last they spoke of it.

*

Then, just a handful of days later, Godai died.

When Tsubaki called Ichijou with the news, Ichijou could only feel horrible guilt.

He’d never apologized. They’d barely spoken, and when they had, it had been awkward.

And now Godai was gone. 

And Ichijou couldn’t even have a moment to process it, to mourn Godai’s unfair, untimely death, because the latest Unidentified Lifeform was on the move, and their only real hope of defeating the things for good was gone.

*

And then, absurdly, Godai was alive again.

When the Kuuga armor dropped, and Godai was standing there, smiling and giving a thumbs-up to Ichijou, it was as if nothing had happened between them. The sense of relief was so strong, Ichijou swore he nearly blacked out from it. 

When they’d left the scene, Ichijou had barely managed to get them far enough away where they wouldn’t be spotted, before he pulled over, took Godai’s face in his hands, and kissed him. The first and only time he’d shirked his duties, and instead went back to his apartment, barely able to wait until they were inside before he was kissing Godai again, and Godai seemed more than happy to return the kisses.

And this time, without the influence of the dust, everything was as it should have been. Perhaps it was a bit frenzied, and slightly rushed, as Ichijou heard his cell phone ring a handful of times while they were too busy lost in one another. They didn’t have as much time as either of them would have liked. 

But the time they _did_ have…it was perfect. It was right.

As they took a moment to recover afterward, Godai had turned onto his side, directing a lazy smile at Ichijou. “So…does this mean we’re dating now?”

*

There was so little time for them to be together, it seemed. But Godai spent most nights at Ichijou’s, and he was always welcomed. Sometimes they collapsed into a frenzy on the bed, and other times they simply wrapped themselves in one another’s embrace and drifted off to sleep.

The Unidentified Lifeforms just kept coming, more and more frequently, and they both kept their guards up after the incident in the elevator. Who knew if any of the other creatures would explode and let loose more of that stuff? That had been the only one thus far, but it paid to be cautious.

Ichijou accompanied Godai as often as possible to the battles. Enokida had been working tirelessly to provide the police with weapons that would actually affect the Unidentified Lifeforms, and while there was always the chance that they’d evolve over time, these bullets had worked in the past, and Ichijou hoped he could continue to offer Godai support.

Of course, when Ichijou had shown up with Sugita and several other officers, all armed with the bullets that had been effective up until now, they didn’t put a dent in the current Unidentified Lifeform. Kuuga was having a hard time with it, and Ichijou was desperate to distract it long enough to give him a chance to change to a different form, so he’d run into the fray like an absolute fool, squeezing several shots off at the creature.

It had just walked through the hail of bullets, and grabbed Ichijou by the front of his trenchcoat, clearly planning to fling such an annoyance out of the way, when it paused, and…was it sniffing him?

“You stink of Kuuga,” it announced. “You must be his mate.”

Even in such a precarious situation, Ichijou felt his face heat up. The other officers were close enough to overhear…and of course the creature had spoken in Japanese, instead of the strange language they’d used among themselves.

“You’re the ones who took out Me-Uzaa-Da,” it continued, taking another deep breath. “The pollen always causes the manic urge to breed.”

Ichijou’s brows furrowed in confusion, and he felt a slight movement from the creature. He tensed, preparing to be flung aside, but instead, he was lowered rather gently to his feet.

“It’s been a long time since a clutch was expected. I’m surprised that it stuck with a Linto. I look forward to seeing the final results.”

With that, the creature disappeared, and Ichijou’s legs suddenly gave out as its words hit home. Words that everyone present had heard. Not only had they heard that he was Kuuga’s mate, but he was also…what…full of eggs? Grongi eggs? From the pollen?

Everything was suddenly very overwhelming, and the desire to lay down and close his eyes sounded very appealing.


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m sure it was lying, saying such outlandish things to throw us off guard, but Godai…he seemed to believe what it was saying.”

Tsubaki nodded absently, getting to his feet when a nurse knocked at the door and passed him the x-rays they’d been waiting on. 

“It seems absurd, doesn’t it? I mean…eggs? There’s no way such a thing could be possible. Maybe that’s how _they_ breed, but that couldn’t work with humans.”

“Yeah, about that…” Tsubaki began, then trailed off, hanging the x-rays up properly so Ichijou could see it, too. “There’s definitely… _something_ in you, and it doesn’t appear to be anything easily explained. If you ask my opinion, it resembles that stone inside Godai. Only several of them.”

Ichijou swallowed, suddenly feeling as though his throat were closing up. “Can it be removed?”

“Truthfully? I don’t know. There’s a very good possibility that it’s like Godai’s belt…something that can’t be removed, and might prove fatal to the holder if we try.” Tsubaki tapped a finger on the table as he thought. “For now, I want you to come here every day for a new scan. I want to make sure that it’s not going to affect your internal organs.”

Ichijou ran a hand over his face. “I can’t believe this…I thought for sure that Unidentified Lifeform was lying. And it announced it loud enough for everyone to hear.”

“Hmm? What, the egg thing?”

“It’s also mentioned that I’m Kuuga’s mate.”

Tsubaki glanced at Ichijou, not looking at all surprised. “Is that supposed to shock me or something?”

Ichijou frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“I could tell that there was… _something_ between you two since…hell, since the first time you brought him here for a scan. I don’t know if you were his ‘mate’ that early on, but I think someone would have to be blind to not see the connection,” Tsubaki stated, taking the x-rays down. “The cops don’t know who Kuuga is at this point, they just see him as Number 4, right? So yeah, they’re gonna be a little weirded out. But if they know Godai, and have seen that mushy look you get on your face when he’s around for even two seconds…”

“Mushy look? What..?”

“Then they’ll realize that he’s someone special to you. And honestly? I doubt they’ll care. Everybody loves Godai once they meet him. But _you_ …” Tsubaki paused to bump Ichijou’s chest with a finger. “Are the only one that _he_ loves.” 

“You can tell all that?” Ichijou asked, the look on his face as close to awe as Tsubaki had ever seen. 

“Hey, my big brain and good eyes got me this fantastic job,” Tsubaki pointed out. “And all these bizarre side jobs that my buddy Ichijou keeps throwing at me.” He couldn’t help but grin when Ichijou huffed at him, annoyed, but he sobered quickly. “For now…hell, I don’t even know what to tell you. If I say ‘take it easy’, you won’t. I suppose…if your condition changes, if anything feels off, then call me, and we’ll have to kind of wing it.”

Ichijou frowned. “You’re not filling me with confidence, you know.”

Tsubaki patted his shoulder. “Then quit asking a coroner to do medical checkups for you, you idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, but this has been sitting in my Kuuga folder for over a week, and I just wanted to throw it out there to let you all know that--to the surprise of absolutely NO ONE--I'm going to continue this. :3


	3. Chapter 3

It still caught Ichijou off guard most days, coming home and finding Godai there, bustling around as if he lived there. But, given the amount of time he’d spent with Ichijou, ever since they’d finally given in to their feelings and decided to discreetly start dating (although, from what Tsubaki had said, they apparently weren’t very discreet at all), he might as well have been a permanent occupant. Ichijou had given him a key, for any times he would be going to help out at Pole Pole, or visit Minori at the preschool, or if they were out tracking Unidentified Lifeforms and couldn’t meet up immediately. 

This was Ichijou’s first relationship, but everything felt so comfortable with Godai. So easy, as if they’d been together for years, rather than months. And Godai made himself right at home, taking great joy in cooking for Ichijou after he’d seen the state of his kitchen.

“How did it go?” Godai asked, coming into the room as Ichijou lowered himself on the couch with a sigh. 

“It seems that there _is_ something inside of me,” Ichijou said. “The x-ray showed…something. Several somethings. They almost look like the Amadam. Tsubaki has no idea what they are, but he wants me to go there daily for scans, to make sure that nothing changes.”

Ichijou was honestly proud for explaining everything in such a calm voice, while he was in such turmoil. This was such an odd conversation—an impossible scenario, truly—yet here they were.

“I’m sorry…this is my fault, isn’t it? I didn’t even know that I could _do_ that,” Godai said.

“That pollen substance is what made us go crazy in the first place. It seems that it’s more to blame than anything.”

“But…”

Ichijou held his hand up. “I don’t blame you for this, so you shouldn’t be blaming yourself.”

“You’re handling this surprisingly well, Ichijou-san,” Godai said. “I mean…after that Unidentified Lifeform first said everything it did, you were convinced it was lying, just to throw us off.”

“I saw the x-rays…I don’t have much choice but to accept it as the truth,” Ichijou stated. “I don’t know what’s going to come of all this, and I’ll admit, that makes me nervous.”

“No matter what happens, you know I’ll be here for you, right?” Godai said, smiling and giving him a thumbs-up. “Whatever I can do to help, I’ll gladly do it.”

Ichijou surprised himself by moving closer to Godai and wrapping his arms around him. His words were so comforting…how many people would have taken all of this in stride like he had? Like they both had, Ichijou realized. They were both surprised when Ichijou shifted just enough to press his lips to Godai’s.

And then, to the surprise of neither, they decided to wait on lunch for a bit, put aside any worrying thoughts about what was happening, and they headed into the bedroom for a bit of a distraction.

*

A week passed, and Ichijou was getting used to his daily trips to get x-rays taken. Sometimes it resulted in him needing to rise at ungodly hours to swing by the hospital before he had to go in to work, but he knew he couldn’t neglect this responsibility. 

The x-rays came out the same the first three days, and then on the fourth, Tsubaki bustled into his office, a strange look on his face.

“What? Is something wrong?” Ichijou asked, immediately on alert.

“How have you been feeling the past few days? Any changes?” Tsubaki asked. When Ichijou shook his head, he continued, “Anything at all, even if it’s small and seems inconsequential.”

Ichijou paused for a moment, deep in thought. “I fell asleep as soon as I got home last night. I went into my room to change, and woke up to Godai shaking me awake for dinner. I just…felt worn out, but it’s been a long week.”

“Anything else? How has your appetite been?”

“It might have just been from skipping lunch, but I had two servings of curry last night. That’s easy to do with Godai’s cooking, though, so I’m not sure if that counts for anything,” Ichijou said.

“Been intimate lately?”

Ichijou felt his face go hot as he glared at Tsubaki. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I just want to keep a thorough record, ok? Geez, it’s not like I don’t know that you’ve been doing it,” Tsubaki said, with an exaggerated eye roll. 

Ichijou sighed. “The day I got the initial x-ray taken.”

Tsubaki scribbled on his chart, then put the x-rays up, watching Ichijou lean forward in his seat. “These are all of the ones I’ve taken this week…and this is today’s. I’m sure you notice it too.”

“It looks like there’s only one of those…Amadam…egg…things left now,” Ichijou said, eyes wandering along each x-ray, as if expecting to find a clue that would have everything suddenly make sense. “So…does this mean my body’s breaking them down? Maybe another four days, and that one will be gone, too?”

“See, what I‘m thinking…I feel like they’ve fused. Or maybe they were all absorbed by that one. Notice how it’s just a bit bigger now? That has me worried…if it grows any larger, we might have to risk an operation.”

“Do you think it’ll get bigger?” Ichijou asked. “I mean…it looked like there were three, possibly four of them to begin with. But now, left with only one, it’s not that much larger, if it absorbed all the others.”

“I really don’t know,” Tsubaki murmured, and they both stared quietly at the latest x-ray for quite some time. 

*

His cell phone was ringing. He heard it, and he knew he should answer it, and yet Ichijou simply could not muster up the energy to open his eyes, much less retrieve the phone from his dresser. Maybe Godai would answer it for him, or at least bring it over…or maybe it would just stop ringing.

And then it did. Ichijou managed a soft sigh of relief, before slipping back into slumber.

*

“Ichijou-san? Ichijou-san! Can you hear me?”

Was that Godai..?

“Are you all right? Hey…can you hear my voice? Please say something! Please…Kaoru-san…”

That in itself caused Ichijou to stir, and he heard Godai inhale sharply. Godai had never called him by his first name, not until now. Something must be terribly wrong.

It was a struggle, but Ichijou finally managed to open his eyes just a bit, and he saw relief wash over Godai’s features.

“Ichijou-san…what’s the matter? I called Tsubaki-san to see how the x-rays looked today, and he said you hadn’t come by. Then I called your phone, and you didn’t answer. And I called the station, and they said you hadn’t come in and weren’t answering your phone. I had to ditch work because I was so worried about you!”

Ichijou closed his eyes again. “Tired…” he finally managed, his voice sounding as ragged as if he’d been running a marathon.

A hand rested on his brow, and Ichijou tried to lean into the touch, but Godai drew back almost immediately. “You’re burning up! Let me get a cold washcloth on your head. Ah, and some water for you to drink, too.”

Ichijou was too weary to protest, groaning softly groan when the cloth was laid across his brow, and he could only manage a few sips of water after Godai had propped him up to lean against him. He would had happily drank the entire glass—he was parched, and the water had felt wonderful trickling down his throat—but he just felt so damn _tired_.

“I’m going to call Tsubaki-san. What if this has to do with that egg thing? It’s been a few days without any change…who knows what it looks like now,” Godai said, getting Ichijou comfortably settled on the mattress once again, before scooping up Ichijou’s phone and going through his contacts.

Ichijou heard Godai talking on the phone, but he couldn’t quite focus on the words. Everything suddenly felt…odd. Painful, as if his body had suddenly shrunk, and he couldn’t draw in enough air. All he could hear were his own labored attempts at breathing, and somewhere in the background, he heard Godai’s panicked voice.

Then Godai’s hand was holding his, even as the other wiped the washcloth over his face, giving him relief for just a few moments, but then he felt unbearably hot again, and a choked sob left his lips as he tried to keep from screaming in pain.

“Help will be here soon, Kaoru-san, please, please hold on. It’ll be all right.”

When the doorbell rang, Godai reluctantly let go of Ichijou’s hand, running from the room so he could open the front door and usher Tsubaki in, trying to tell him what had happened as they hurried back to the bedroom.

They both stopped dead in their tracks once they’d entered the room.

Ichijou was laying curled on his side, either unconscious or asleep, the blankets thrown back, his sweaty hair half obscuring his eyes.

And nestled in his arms was an egg.


	4. Chapter 4

“I…I was only out of the room long enough to answer the door, and when I left, Ichijou-san was running a fever and in pain, and that egg _definitely_ wasn’t there.”

Tsubaki sighed inwardly, lamenting the date that would most likely not still be waiting for him at the restaurant when he returned. Whenever that would be. But there wasn’t much that could be done about it now, he supposed. At least he kept an old-fashioned doctor’s bag stocked with important items in the trunk of his car (more as a conversation piece than anything; he couldn’t remember the last time he’d used it for anything, other than to impress a date as she stowed her shopping bags in the trunk and said a few words about his dedication as a doctor).

Today, he’d brought it into the apartment, not sure what he’d be able to do for Ichijou if he was indeed in pain and running a fever, as Godai had said over the phone. He’d sounded frantic, so Tsubaki knew he hadn’t been lying. Godai wouldn’t lie about something as important as a human life, and definitely not Ichijou’s. And, well, this entire case was weird enough as it was.

Tsubaki withdrew a stethoscope, but listening to Ichijou’s heart was easier said than done, given the way he was curled around the egg he was holding. Tsubaki could only assume that it was the egg-like object that had been inside him, even if it looked different than the x-rays, and was definitely much larger than it had been. “Godai-kun, can you take the egg for a few minutes?”

Godai nodded, trying to lift the egg out of Ichijou’s arms, but every time he touched it, the other man made a soft distressed sound, his arms unconsciously wrapping more protectively around it, as if he were afraid of someone taking it from him. “I guess not,” he said, kneeling on the floor beside the bed, trying to get a closer look at the egg. 

“We won’t know for sure if that’s what was inside him unless he gets another scan done, and…well, I don’t exactly have a x-ray machine tucked away in my bag,” Tsubaki stated. If he couldn’t listen to Ichijou’s heart from his chest, he’d have to hope he had better luck with the back. It was better than nothing, he supposed. Although if Ichijou were in any sort of distress, he figured it would be pretty plain to see. Right now, he simply looked exhausted. It didn’t sound as though his lungs were obstructed, and his heartbeat was strong and steady. He set the stethoscope aside and withdrew an ear thermometer, quickly taking Ichijou’s temperature, then nodded. “Everything seems normal. Pulse is average, body temperature normal, he doesn’t appear to be in pain. But...” Tsubaki trailed off, gesturing at the egg. “That somehow came out of his body and grew several times larger.”

Ichijou seemed deep in slumber, so Godai slid his hand beneath the egg once again, surprised when he was able to lift it out of Ichijou’s arms. “Oh…he let go of it this time. Wow, it’s really warm! It almost feels like…like Ichijou-san before, when he felt feverish.”

Tsubaki placed a tentative hand on the egg, pulling his hand back in surprise at the heat that was emanating from it. “How is that not burning your hands?” 

Godai shrugged, but he was too busy looking at the egg. It was about the size of his head, and unlike chicken eggs, the shell felt…thicker, he supposed. It didn’t feel as smooth and fragile as he’d expected; it was much sturdier, with an odd texture under his fingers. He wondered if it needed to be kept warm, especially since it was giving off so much heat as it was.

“Be careful with that. We still have no idea what’s inside,” Tsubaki warned.

“Maybe, but…I don’t think it’s evil, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Godai finally said. “I mean…Ichijou-san and I made this. So it can’t possibly be bad.”

Ichijou moaned softly, his fingers twitching, and Godai gently slid the egg back into his arms, watching a small smile cross the other man’s lips as he curled around it once again.

“See?” Godai said, smiling widely. “I think even Ichijou-san knows, deep down. It’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”

Tsubaki didn’t even know what to say, so he wisely opted to say nothing at all, putting everything back into his bag and closing it. “When he wakes up…if he feels steady enough on his feet, I want him to come in for a scan. It seems pointless and more of a courtesy, but I just want to make absolutely certain that there’s nothing left behind, no damage, that kind of thing. I’m…hesitant to scan the egg, though. Who knows what x-rays will do to it? For now…” He trailed off, then huffed, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t even have any advice for you. Call me if anything changes, I suppose. I don’t know what good it’ll be, but I’ll do what I can.”

“Thanks, Tsubaki-san. I’m sorry to keep bothering you…”

Tsubaki’s phone beeped, and he listened to the voicemail, unsurprised when his date announced that she was leaving, and to not call her again. He sighed heavily, sliding the phone back into his pocket. “No problem. I guess I’ll head out, but remember, anything weird happens, call me. And call me when he’s ready to come in for a scan.” He cast one more glance at the egg, then shook his head in puzzled disbelief and headed out, the front door quietly thudding closed behind him. 

Not knowing what else to do for the time being, Godai stretched out beside Ichijou, reaching out to place a tentative hand on the egg. It was odd…it felt as though the heat were pulsing beneath his touch. Perhaps whatever was inside knew who he was, that he meant no harm. 

There was no way it was evil, Godai thought to himself. Especially not if it were around him and Ichijou-san. He had no idea what was inside, but surely it could sense how it was being protected right now. Maybe he was being foolish, but Godai felt a strong surge of love toward the contents of the egg. Like he’d said to Tsubaki, he and Ichijou had created this, so it was almost like their child. 

The events of the day had Godai yawning, and his eyes slowly drifted shut, his palm still settled on the egg. 

Between Ichijou’s soft breathing and the warmth emitting from the egg, he was asleep in moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am happy to continue the tradition of Tsubaki Is Not Allowed To Get Any. Sorry, buddy. :3


	5. Chapter 5

The first thing Ichijou thought upon opening his eyes was that he didn’t feel very rested at all. What time was it? Exhaustion aside, he felt like he’d been sweating profusely in his sleep; he needed a shower desperately. And food. He felt like he hadn’t eaten for an entire day. He vaguely remembered going to bed early the night before, and hoped he wasn’t coming down with the flu.

He rolled over and came face to face with Godai, barely registering the look of relief on the other man’s face, because his gaze was drawn to what laid between them.

There was a green sweater—it was his, wasn’t it? Ichijou seemed to recall buying a garment like that a few years back, although the reason for doing so eluded him at that moment. It wasn't as though he had a personal life to speak of—that was arranged like a nest, and in the center was an egg. An egg much larger than Ichijou was used to seeing. And, absurdly, there was a scarf tucked around it. 

“How are you feeling?” Godai asked, his voice soft, as if he were afraid of…what, disturbing the egg’s slumber? He ran his fingers through Ichijou’s sleep-mussed hair, watching the other man visibly relax from the touch. “It’s been a day and a half, and you’ve just been… _out_.”

Ichijou’s eyes widened. “What? That long?” He tried to sit up, his first thought being that he’d been asleep for that long and he’d missed nearly two days of work!

“Don’t move around too quickly,” Godai said, worry plain in his voice. “I know you’re thinking about work. Right? I called them yesterday and said you weren’t feeling well…maybe a stomach bug or the flu. They said you've got tons of sick time, and you should focus on getting well so you come back in your best condition. And Tsubaki-san was here to check your vitals and temperature again.”

“Again?”

“Well…yeah. I called him here the other night, because you were really feverish and seemed to be in pain. I left the room to let him into the apartment, and when I came back…” Godai trailed off, resting his hand on the egg. “You were holding this. Wouldn’t let anyone take it from you for quite a while.”

“Is that…what was in me?” Ichijou asked, confusion plain on his face. “It’s much larger than it was on the x-ray.” He reached out slowly, hesitantly, touching the tips of his fingers to the shell, before drawing them back with a hiss. “Why is it that hot..?”

Godai shrugged, absently rubbing the egg. “Dunno. But Ichijou-san, _you_ were that hot, too, before Tsubaki-san showed up. It’s like the egg absorbed all of that heat from you.”

“Is it…” Ichijou trailed off, not knowing how to put it. He wanted to say ‘evil’, because surely something that was giving off heat like the fires of hell itself was dangerous. Right? He could feel warmth radiating from it, and he felt sweat beading on his brow.

“It’s not evil, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Godai said. “Tsubaki-san thought the same thing. Because it came about because of a Grongi’s influence, right? But…something that came from Ichijou-san can’t possibly be evil. I sat with it while you were sleeping. I admit, I was curious, so I transformed into Kuuga’s green form, and just…listened. I feel like…it’s kind of like a chicken’s egg. Just a lot bigger. Whatever’s in there, it’s still forming. I don’t know how long it’ll take before it’s ready to come out, but I could hear a heartbeat.” 

Godai’s voice trailed off, and he let his hand rest on the shell. How was it not burning his hand, Ichijou wondered.

“It’s ours, so it won’t be evil,” Godai murmured, glancing at Ichijou, his smile so steady and sure that he couldn’t help but believe him. “So! You’ve gotta be hungry after sleeping for so long, right? Let me cook you something. Maybe some scrambled eggs…”

Godai trailed off, and they both glanced at the egg, and maybe Ichijou was completely out of his mind, but he thought that the egg seemed…offended. Which was ridiculous, how could an _egg_ be offended? 

“Ah, sorry, sorry…” Godai said, running his hand over the egg in a soothing gesture. “I wasn’t thinking. Um…maybe I’ll make rice porridge instead, then.”

Apparently they were both going just a little bit crazy, Ichijou thought to himself, shaking his head. “Just a bowl of plain rice would be fine,” he admitted. “Maybe then I’ll have the strength to take a shower.”

“I’ll get a bath drawn for you afterward,” Godai offered, getting to his feet, then he leaned over to press a kiss to Ichijou’s forehead, and one to the egg, before he left the room.

He hadn’t been awake for even half an hour, and this was easily the strangest day of his life, Ichijou thought to himself. He looked at the egg, snug in its sweater and scarf nest, and it was…cute, somehow. He reached out, careful to not touch the shell directly—how was it that Godai had touched it with no discomfort? He’d even kissed it! Ichijou felt that if he tried that, his lips would wind up blistered. He placed his hand against the scarf, feeling the muted heat of the egg through the fabric, and it felt much more manageable. 

It was rather soothing, he thought to himself. So soothing, in fact, that he drifted off to sleep once again.


	6. Chapter 6

Two days passed, and by the end of the second day, Ichijou felt as though he were finally back to full strength. He doubted he’d ever admit it, but it had been rather nice, having Godai there to oversee his recovery. Godai had taken care of meals, sat with Ichijou and chatted with him so he wouldn’t be bored, later helping him out into the living room for a change of scenery. Godai sheepishly admitted that it was also so he could watch the new episode of…some television program he enjoyed, Ichijou couldn’t remember the name, but it had been nice to simply sit close to the other man, letting his mind drift as they shared a quiet moment together.

It would have all been perfectly normal, something that millions of other couples did, surely, if not for one thing.

The egg between them. Literally between them; Godai still had it tucked in its sweater and scarf nest, and it was always close by. Ichijou still doubted that the egg needed much warmth, given its tremendously high temperature, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything to Godai. He swore the other man doted on the egg as much as he did Ichijou, carrying it from room to room when they changed locations, resting one hand on it while his other arm was around Ichijou as they watched television.

Godai would be a good father, Ichijou thought to himself.

Abruptly, his face began to warm up. What had brought _that_ on? Perhaps it was due to Godai treating the egg like a newborn baby…which, Ichijou supposed, it was. Kind of. But not really, because it was an _egg_. They still didn’t know what was inside. He supposed they wouldn’t know until it hatched, whenever that would be. Godai seemed hopeful, anxious, and excited all at once about the egg, whereas Ichijou…well, he was mostly anxious. And he couldn’t help but be fearful because this was about as far from normal as one could get. This was incredibly odd, something that wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t been doused in that pollen. He still didn’t understand how that worked—even if Godai’s body was changing and adapting because of the Amadam, even if his internal structure was somewhat similar to the Grongi because of it, how did this even happen, since Ichijou was human? Was this something that had happened before? No, that one Unidentified Lifeform had said pretty clearly that it was surprised that it had stuck with a Linto. 

Leave it to him to be a pioneer of something strange and otherworldly, Ichijou wryly thought to himself. 

“Ichijou-san? Are you asleep?”

Ichijou opened one eye, seeing Godai looking down at him. “No. Just thinking.”

Godai nodded, knowing that Ichijou’s thoughts were surely featuring the egg, and decided not to press for the time being. “How are you feeling? Do you think you’ll be ok to get that scan tomorrow?”

Ichijou made a soft sound of affirmation. “It’s probably best for me to get it done, regardless of how I feel. I think I’d rest easier, knowing that there are no problems, and then I can get back to work.”

Godai nodded, simultaneously rubbing Ichijou’s shoulder and the top of the egg. “The egg’ll be alone when you go back to work…what if it hatches when there’s no one home?”

Ichijou opened his mouth, then closed it again. There was no way he could bring it with him to work…that would be bizarre, and just unsafe in general. He couldn’t just leave it on the passenger seat of his cruiser while he was out and about. “Would the Unidentified Lifeforms be able to sense it? That one was able to smell it, apparently, when it was still forming. Would they try to steal it? Destroy it?”

Godai frowned, his hand stilling on the egg. “That’s a good question…and there’s not exactly anyone we can ask. Maybe I can get one of those baby-carrying slings and keep it with me when I’m at Pole Pole. But then what do we do when I need to become Kuuga?”

This was easily the oddest conversation they’d ever had, Ichijou decided, and he sighed, leaning his head on Godai’s shoulder. 

“I think…it’ll be ok, somehow, don’t you, Ichijou-san?”

Ichijou glanced up, seeing Godai’s familiar smile and thumbs-up, and he chuckled softly. “Well…I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” He couldn’t help but snuggle closer to Godai, feeling the warmth emanating from the egg. “We should probably shower before it gets any later.”

“Huh? I already took one while you were asleep earlier.”

Ichijou tilted his head, pressing his lips to Godai’s neck. “I just figured it would be a bit safer. You know…in case I need help with something.”

Understanding slowly dawned in Godai’s eyes, and a smile played on his lips.

“I’m sure the egg will be fine for about ten minutes, don’t you?” Ichijou continued, feeling Godai’s hand move down his back. “Hmm…better make it fifteen, just so we don’t rush.”

“I think that’s doable,” Godai murmured, before he leaned in to meet Ichijou’s lips.

*

The next morning, Ichijou had to admit that he felt just about perfect. Maybe it had been the incredibly relaxing shower the night before, or the excellent night’s sleep, wrapped in Godai’s arms, but he felt ready to take on the world.

Even so, Godai insisted that he drive them to the hospital, and that meant on his motorcycle. Ichijou preferred cars over motorcycles, and he preferred to be driving himself, but…well, it was fine this once, he supposed, especially since he was still getting over his case of “the flu.”

When Godai handed him his backpack, Ichijou couldn’t help but look at him quizzically, until Godai opened it enough for him to see the egg tucked inside, swathed carefully in the sweater and scarf. “I’d just keep it myself, but I don’t want to risk squishing it between us or anything, you know?”

Ichijou nodded, taking the bag and sliding the straps over his shoulders until it settled comfortably on his back, then climbed on the motorcycle behind Godai, putting on the extra helmet, and they were off.

*

“So? How does everything look?” Ichijou asked, as Tsubaki looked over the series of x-rays he’d taken.

“Perfect,” Tsubaki admitted, hanging the x-rays up. “If I hadn’t been following this since the beginning, I wouldn’t even know there’d been anything amiss.” He shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “I still don’t understand how that thing got out of your body like it did, but…well, you’re in perfect health, so congrats.”

Godai leaned forward in his chair, holding the backpack in his arms as he looked at the line of x-rays, and Tsubaki couldn’t help but glance at the egg that was visible through the unzipped portion (“so it has some fresh air,” Godai had explained to Ichijou). “I won’t lie, I would love to scan you, Eggy-chan,” Tsubaki stated, reaching over to pat the shell, before he drew his hand back. "Geez, it's still hot."

Godai’s eyes went wide, and he pulled the bag back. “You don’t know how it’ll affect the egg, though! There’s definitely something in there.”

“You know that for sure?”

Godai nodded. “I heard a heartbeat with Kuuga’s green form.”

“You think it’s…forming? Kind of like a baby chicken?” Tsubaki asked, leaning closer, as if being nearer to the egg would reveal all of its secrets. “I wonder how long it’ll take to finish forming? I can’t remember how long it takes for a chicken to go from glop to a fully formed baby chick, but…well, I would imagine it’d be longer for…whatever this winds up being, since it’s considerably larger.”

“Maybe we should keep notes on all of this,” Ichijou finally said.

“You mean you haven’t been?” Tsubaki asked, surprised. “I thought for sure you’d have a few pages in your little notebook just full of information.”

Ichijou frowned. “I’ve been busy recovering, remember? And I was out for a day and a half after the egg appeared.”

“I could work on that when we get back,” Godai offered. “I’ll have to estimate the time on a few things, but it couldn’t help to have a record. Kind of like a baby book.”

“Well, as I’ve been telling you every time I’ve seen you lately…call me if there are any changes. I doubt there will be, since you seem to have gone back to normal, but just in case.”

Ichijou nodded as he and Godai rose from their seats, and Tsubaki saw them out. 

The ride back to Ichijou’s apartment was silent as they mulled over their thoughts, and when they returned, Godai set to removing the egg from his backpack, setting up the sweater and scarf around it carefully, before leaning in to look at the egg carefully. “Ichijou-san, did you bump into something?”

“Not that I recall. Why?”

Godai ran his finger along a light, barely noticeable hairline fracture on the shell. “Because it looks like there’s a little crack here.”

Then the little crack became a big crack, and a bright light flooded the room as the egg cracked in half.


	7. Chapter 7

It felt like an eternity before the blinding light dimmed, then faded entirely, and it took Ichijou a moment to get his bearings. He’d been hanging up his coat when Godai had mentioned a crack on the egg…impossible, it had only been a few days, surely it hadn’t hatched already!

“Godai?” he called out, suddenly realizing how very quiet it was in the apartment, and he began to pray fervently that the egg had not been some sort of weapon, because if it had been, if Godai had been close enough to notice a crack on the shell, then…

Ichijou shook his head abruptly. He would not panic. He was being ridiculous. See, there was Godai, kneeling on the floor in front of the couch. He was all right.

He _had_ to be all right.

“Godai?” Ichijou said again as he drew closer, but Godai’s attention was focused entirely on the egg. Or rather, the two halves of the egg, which had split neatly down the middle. It _had_ hatched? He couldn’t help but feel anxious as he leaned closer, both wanting to see what had been hidden within and feeling oddly fearful about it.

In one half lay a tiny Kuuga, barely bigger than his hand, its armor shiny white, looking like a much smaller version of Growing Form. And in the other half, absurdly enough, was a tiny Gouram. Both appeared to be sleeping, or simply resting, perhaps, after the strenuous task of breaking their way through the shell.

“Ichijou-san…are you seeing this?” Godai breathed, his eyes wide with awe.

He was definitely seeing it, but processing it? That was something else entirely, Ichijou thought to himself. He watched Godai reach out, running a finger gently along the little Gouram’s shell. “Careful, you don’t know if…”

A tiny sound, like an odd mixture of a purr and a series of clicking sounds, came from the tiny creature, and a wide smile crossed Godai’s face. “I can’t believe this…a little Growing Form, and a little Gouram! This is…wow,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “They’re so cute.”

They _were_ cute, Ichijou supposed, so long as he didn’t think too much about how that egg had come about from very frantic sex, thanks to that odd pollen. The first time they’d ever been together, and he could barely remember it, beyond waking up sticky and sore in that elevator with Godai spooning him, his trenchcoat thrown over them both. He was human. Humans weren’t supposed to lay eggs, or have eggs that magically transferred from inside their bodies to laying beside them, blazing with heat like one of the lower levels of hell. They didn’t appear to be evil, at least, but they were asleep. Who knew what would happen when they woke up?

The egg had come from _him_ , from inside his own body, and he couldn’t even remember when _that_ had happened! He felt like he was missing great chunks of time, and for some reason, that bothered him. He felt himself taking a step back, suddenly feeling lightheaded. He never felt lightheaded. All of his years on the force, seeing so many awful things, and he’d kept composed every time. 

But now, seeing that little Kuuga stir, sitting up and looking around in confusion, looking past Godai and lifting its arms, looking for all the world like a baby who just wanted its parent to pick it up…Ichijou felt a slew of emotions washing over him, and he hurriedly said something about needing some air. He heard Godai call after him, confusion and worry plain in his voice, but he simply jammed his feet into his shoes, grabbing his coat, and left the apartment, walking as fast as his feet would carry him. He definitely didn’t trust himself to drive yet, especially now, not when he was on the verge of a panic attack.

His hands shook as he withdrew his cell phone, and placed a call to someone who was probably sick to death of hearing from him at this point. “Tsubaki…you want to go get a drink?”

*

Ichijou couldn’t recall the last time he’d gone out for a drink with Tsubaki. Maybe after he’d gotten on the force? A birthday? He just remembered nursing one drink all night, while everyone around him reached various different levels of intoxication, most of them people he didn’t even know.

Today, though, he saw Tsubaki’s look of concern when he finished his second beer, signaling for another.

“You should probably get some food in you, or you’re going to regret this tomorrow,” Tsubaki pointed out, placing a piece of cooked meat on Ichijou’s plate. “What happened? Are you and Godai fighting?”

Ichijou shook his head, fingers curling around the handle of his new glass of beer. “No. I mean…we might be, now, the way I left him with them.”

“Them?”

Ichijou nodded, taking a long drink. “The egg hatched.”

Tsubaki’s eyes went wide. “Already?”

“You know what was inside?” Not waiting for Tsubaki to even venture a guess, Ichijou continued, “A little Kuuga, and a Gouram. The size of my hand.”

“And…you’re here with me, getting drunk, not home with your boyfriend and these two babies, because..?”

Ichijou blinked. “Because this is all so…so…there’s no logic to it! I had an egg in me. A bunch of eggs that wound up fusing into one. Imagine if I’d had all of the ones that had originally showed up on the x-ray. Would I have a whole herd of baby Kuugas right now? One in each color?” Ichijou tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sob. “Nothing about this is normal. That Unidentified Lifeform’s pollen made us procreate. This isn’t something I ever thought I’d have to worry about, but now…”

Tsubaki sighed. “I guess I can see where you’d be freaked out by all of this,” he finally said, shaking his head at the waitress when Ichijou tried to signal for another beer. “Here, let’s get some water in you. You’re going to have the worst hangover of your life tomorrow at this rate. You never drink, and when you do, you sure don’t drink _this_ much.”

Ichijou grumbled, but accepted the glass of water that Tsubaki pressed into his hands, taking several sips to placate the other man.

“This is definitely a strange situation you’re in, I’ll agree. I still don’t know what to think of it, and I don’t understand exactly how everything worked, since you’re both human, even if Godai has the belt messing with his DNA.” Tsubaki nudged Ichijou’s bowl of rice closer, encouraging him to eat. “But you have children. Two healthy, not evil children. If they _were_ evil, they wouldn’t have taken a nap after breaking out of the egg, right? They probably would have gone right for Godai, since he was closest.” 

A worried look flitted across Ichijou’s face, but he said nothing, trying to swallow another sip of water around the lump that had formed in his throat.

“This situation is about as far from normal as you can get, but…don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?” Tsubaki said, his voice soft. “Things are weird, and scary, but they’re _yours_ , Ichijou. Yours and Godai’s.” He heard Ichijou sniff, saw him swipe a hand over his eyes. “Don’t you think you should be home with Godai, and your kids? You said the little Kuuga was reaching out before you left…you might have hurt their feelings, running off like that.”

Ichijou’s shoulders shook, and Tsubaki heard him draw in a shuddering breath. “Come on, let me drive you home,” he said, relieved when he saw Ichijou nod.

*

Ichijou hadn’t remembered going to bed, didn’t remember a good portion of the night before, but he was in his bed and in his pajamas. His mouth was dry, and his head throbbed.

And on his chest rested the baby Kuuga and baby Gouram, both sleeping soundly, making soft clicking noises as they slept. 

Well…this was a dilemma, Ichijou thought to himself. He couldn’t get up; he didn’t want to disturb them.

“Good morning. Well…almost afternoon.”

Ichijou turned his head slightly, seeing Godai laying on his side, smiling at him, even as he reached out to gently run a finger over the babies, watching them squirm a bit to get more comfortable.

“They were worried when you ran off,” Godai murmured. “I don’t think they can cry, but…Chibi Kuuga was kind of hurt, that you didn’t pick her up.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Tsubaki-san brought you back…I was surprised that you’d gotten drunk, Ichijou-san! I didn’t even think you drank. He was worried about you, too,” Godai continued.

“I haven’t been doing a good job at this so far, have I?” Ichijou sighed. “I’m just…scared, I guess. The whole situation is a lot, and you seem to be able to adapt a lot better than I have been.”

“I’m a little scared, too,” Godai admitted. “I spent a lot of time with my sister when we were younger, and I love hanging out with the kids at the preschool, but…well, our kids are a little different, you know? I’m not sure how to care for a little Kuuga and a little Gouram. Ah…Chibi Gouram apparently likes metal, like regular Gouram, though…he took a bite out of the can of juice I had earlier. While there was juice still in it. So definitely don’t leave your keys or cell phone or anything where he can nibble on it. That might be a problem if he can fly once he gets older, but we’ll worry about that when we get there.”

Ichijou couldn’t help but smile. “You’re already a good father,” he stated, reaching for Godai’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

“It’ll take time,” Godai continued, giving him a thumbs-up. “We’ll just have to take things as they come, and learn together. But Ichijou-san…I love you, and I love our kids, and I hate seeing anyone hurting. I was afraid that you hated me now, because I’m not…a normal human.”

Ichijou nodded, his hand trembling as he gave Godai’s hand another squeeze. “I’m sorry…I really was being selfish. And stupid. I can’t help but be afraid of something awful happening, especially now. I’ve never seen myself having a partner, or kids, and I suddenly have both. And now there’s so much to lose if something happens to either of us. I had to live with losing one parent growing up…I would never wish that upon anyone. And we’re both in danger practically every day now, with the Unidentified Lifeforms showing up more and more frequently.”

“I know what you mean. Remember, I lost both of my parents, and I had Minori to watch over, too,” Godai said, running his thumb along Ichijou’s hand. “I know this will change a lot, for both of us. I won’t just disappear on an adventure and leave you with them. Maybe…we can all go together, when everything is over. Go on a vacation together, as a family. I think, deep down, I’ve always wanted someone to share my travels with. Seeing all of these different places is great, but it’s a little lonely.”

“I think…I might like that,” Ichijou said. “I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation. I hardly saw the point, when I didn’t have anyone to spend the time with.” After a moment, he reached up to run a fingertip along little Kuuga’s back, hearing a soft clicking-purr noise come from her as she stretched and rolled over, making a sound of alarm as she rolled right off Ichijou’s chest and onto the blankets.

Godai chuckled, raising himself up on one elbow as he reached over to scoop her up, and deposited her back on Ichijou’s chest, watching her snuggle up once again. “I think they forgive you. They already love their daddy.”

Ichijou couldn’t help but smile, he face flushing. “So…Kuuga is a girl, and Gouram is a boy? Are we really calling them Chibi?” 

“Well…no. I wasn’t going to name them on my own. I figured I’d wait till we had a chance to discuss it together,” Godai said, sliding an arm across Ichijou’s waist.

“Looks like I’ll be here for a while, so…we could toss around ideas now,” Ichijou suggested.

Godai leaned in, kissing Ichijou softly, and they spent several hours talking softly while the babies slept.


	8. Chapter 8

Things began to settle into a new kind of normalcy after the egg hatched. 

Tsubaki had looked completely baffled when Godai and Ichijou had brought the babies to him for a checkup. “You know that I have no idea what a normal…tiny…Kuuga baby…is supposed to be like, right? It’s not like giving a human baby a checkup,” he grumbled.

Attempts to listen for a heartbeat only resulted in Chibi Kuuga giggling, and Chibi Gouram started to nibble on the stethoscope when Tsubaki was distracted.

They were too small to be weighed properly on the people-sized scale in Tsubaki’s office, so he had to duck downstairs and bring up the small scale he used to weigh organs during autopsies. He made note of their weight, not even knowing if it was ideal for their size. “You haven’t named them yet? Surely you’re not going to call them Chibi Kuuga and Chibi Gouram forever.”

“No no, of course not! We’ve just been trying to come up with the perfect names for them,” Godai explained, glancing at Ichijou, who nodded. “It’s just…kinda hard, you know? My mind is blank.”

“I won’t be offended if you don’t name one after me, so don’t worry,” Tsubaki said, his laugh turning in a sound of surprise as Chibi Gouram grabbed the end of the stethoscope and took a big bite out of it.

“Ah! Gouram-chan, no, no, that’s not for eating,” Godai scolded him, picking the small mechanical beetle up in his hands. “We’ll have lunch when we get home.”

Ichijou directed a look of apology at Tsubaki, who merely sighed. “At least it wasn’t anything too important. Or expensive. Why don’t you take your rugrats home, and if I come up with any ideas on how to properly gauge their health, I’ll let you know.” He picked up the now-ruined stethoscope and took a look at the clean bite taken out of it. “At least it looks like he’s got some strong teeth. Pincers? Mandibles? I don’t know.”

*

The babies napped on Godai’s lap as Ichijou drove them back home, and once they got inside, Godai decided that it was the perfect day for curry, and started to gather everything he’d need to get a pot going.

The babies had been content to sleep in the sweater and scarf nest that their egg had been nestled in before hatching, but Ichijou felt that it wasn’t a proper bed—or very safe, either, as they both enjoyed sleeping on the couch. He doubted the short tumble from the couch cushions to the carpeted floor would hurt them, but it would still be unpleasant. So when he’d gone back to work after his bout with ‘the flu’, he’d made a stop on his way home that night to find something for them. It had probably been made for a small dog, or a very large cat, but Ichijou had chosen a good-sized plush bed for them to sleep in. It would be much more comfortable than the couch, and it would keep them from rolling away.

And they deserved to have a bed of their own, after all.

When Ichijou had brought it home that night and set it up for them (with the scarf as a blanket), both of the babies had made delighted little clicking noises, crawling over their new bed, until they’d both very abruptly fallen asleep, sprawled across one another. It had been late, after all. Godai had watched with a smile as Ichijou had carefully moved the babies, laying them down where they’d be comfortable, and brought the scarf up to cover them.

“You’re not bad at this dad stuff yourself, you know,” Godai had said, before placing a gentle kiss on Ichijou’s cheek.

Ichijou couldn’t help but remember that day fondly, even though it had only been a few days prior. The babies were still napping, clearly worn out from the excitement of going somewhere different. Or perhaps it was just because they were still so new to the world. Didn’t newborn babies sleep quite a bit? Ichijou wasn’t sure; it wasn’t like he had a large social circle, and he didn’t know of anyone that’d had a baby that he could ask. He certainly wasn’t about to call his mother and ask her such an odd question out of the blue, unless he wanted to tell her about her very different grandchildren. A grandbeetle and a grandkuuga.

No, that could be a conversation for another day. Perhaps on the day that he introduced her to Godai. 

Speaking of Godai…Ichijou couldn’t keep himself from leaning on the island that separated the kitchen from the living room, watching Godai contentedly chop vegetables, listening to him humming quietly as he added ingredients to the pot. 

It took Godai quite some time before he realized he was being watched, and he turned to glance at Ichijou. “Hmm? Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s fine. I just like to watch you, that’s all,” Ichijou said, walking around the island and into the kitchen, sliding his arms around Godai’s waist from behind. “You’re always so content. It makes me feel so happy, seeing you like this.”

Godai grinned, feeling his face warming up. “You too, Ichijou-san…you’ve looked more relaxed lately. Happier,” he murmured, turning his head slightly to kiss him.

Godai swore he heard the same sound that the belt made when he changed forms, and then there was an odd splash from the direction of the pot of curry, and he heard Ichijou’s shout of alarm. His attention went back to the pot, where he saw a tiny pair of arms flailing, and he yelped, grabbing the ladle and scooping out a now very messy Chibi Kuuga. Even though she was dripping with curry, and was clinging to a piece of chopped potato, Godai immediately noticed that her armor had changed to blue.

“Ahh, that’s dangerous, little one! If you were that hungry, I could have given you a few pieces on a plate,” Godai said, using a tea towel to wipe off as much of the mess as he could. “The curry pot is very hot, it’s not a safe place for you, or your brother. Ok?”

Chibi Kuuga made a tiny sound, and Godai sighed, kissing the top of her head, and he saw Ichijou take down a bowl and fill it with water, before carefully taking Chibi Kuuga from his hands and placing her in the water, like it was her own personal bathtub. She leaned back, chirping happily, taking a bite of the slightly soggy potato she still held in her tiny hands.

“Her armor changed,” Ichijou said, taking the clean edge of the tea towel and wetting it, before carefully wiping any clinging curry sauce from Chibi Kuuga’s head. 

Godai nodded. “She must have run over here and then…changed and jumped up from the floor, I guess. I didn’t see her until I heard the splash.” He smiled, giving the curry a stir, before leaning closer to Chibi Kuuga. “Is that what you did? You changed forms and then did a big jump?”

Chibi Kuuga threw her arms up in the air, droplets of water flying everywhere, letting loose an excited series of clicks.

And then, to Godai’s utter delight, she did a thumbs-up.

“Ichijou-san, did you see that? A thumbs-up!” Godai exclaimed.

Woken by all of the commotion, Chibi Gouram flew over and landed on Ichijou’s shoulder with a series of confused-sounding clicks. 

“Ichijou-san. I just had an idea for their names.”

Ichijou glanced up from skritching Chibi Gouram’s shell. “Oh? Well, let’s hear them.”

Godai lifted Chibi Kuuga out of the bowl of water and placed her on a clean tea towel to dry her off. “Aoi, since she’s gone to blue form. And Sora, since he can fly.”

Ichijou couldn’t help but smile. “I think they’re perfect.”

And this was a blue sky that Godai could always hold close to his heart, Ichijou thought to himself. 

Then Sora dove into the recycling bin and began crunching on a can, and Godai’s laughter was like music to Ichijou’s ears.


	9. Chapter 9

The weather began to grow warmer, and the Unidentified Lifeforms had not been spotted in…it had been nearly a month, hadn’t it?

It was worrisome, but Ichijou was quietly thankful for the lull in activity, especially with the babies still being so new. What would happen when he was on duty and Godai would have to go into battle? It was a topic they discussed quietly some nights. Godai didn’t think it safe to have the babies with him, simply because they’d be alone if he had to transform. And what would the Unidentified Lifeforms do, if they had any inkling of a tiny, helpless baby Kuuga and baby Gouram? 

“They might be safer with you, Ichijou-san,” Godai had finally said. “They’re smart. You can keep them in your pockets, and I doubt anyone would notice.”

“Perhaps…but there’s always the chance that an Unidentified Lifeform could appear before me, as well, and I don’t have much to drive them off with,” Ichijou reminded him. He sighed, his fists clenched on the table. “They’ll be in danger no matter what.”

“It’ll be all right,” Godai said, his voice as reassuring as always. “I wonder if they’d be safe with Gouram at the Institute..?”

A loud series of clicks broke the silence, and they both glanced over at the back of the soft, where little Aoi stood, waving her arms, clearly reminding her fathers that it was time for bed.

“Ah, careful!” Godai said, scooping her up and kissing her head. “You just like high places, don’t you? Sorry…you’re both waiting to be tucked in, aren’t you?”

Ichijou smiled, following Godai over to the couch, where they tucked the babies into their little bed, and Godai picked up the book of nursery rhymes he’d bought one afternoon, opening it to where they’d left off the night before. After only a few pages, Aoi and Sora were both sound asleep, snuggled up beneath the scarf.

Ichijou switched the living room light off, and they headed out of the room, switching off lights as they went. “Maybe we should take turns each night,” Godai suggested. “I bet they’d enjoy it if their daddy reads to them a bit, too.”

Absurdly, Ichijou felt his face heating up. “Do you have to call me that?”

“What? Some guys love being called daddy,” Godai said, grinning widely. 

“Godai…” Ichijou said, as sternly as he could manage, but Godai just continued grinning.

“So…it’s still a little early,” Godai murmured, slipping an arm around Ichijou’s waist. “What should we do?”

“Hmm…you look as though you have a suggestion or two,” Ichijou said, a hint of teasing in his voice.

“I just might.”

*

Ichijou sucked in a shaky breath as Godai’s hands moved across the fabric covering his chest, his lips moving along his neck, teeth grazing at a collarbone that was now exposed, thanks to a few unfastened buttons on his pajama top. “Godai…”

“I know…I won’t leave any marks,” Godai murmured, his lips brushing against the same spot. 

“It’s…it’s fine. As long as it’s not visible.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Godai sucked on the skin, and Ichijou gasped softly as he felt lips and teeth worrying at the skin, Godai’s finger flicking against the hardened nub of a nipple through his shirt, drawing a soft whimper from Ichijou's lips.

A low rumble echoed from outside, and Ichijou felt Godai stiffen against him, and not in the fun way. “Godai?”

Thunder rumbled again, a bit louder than it had been just a moment ago, and even with the blinds drawn, the quick flash of lightning lit up the room.

It surprised Ichijou when he felt Godai trembling beside him, and he touched his arm. “Hey…what’s wrong?”

Lightning flashed again, followed by a loud clap of thunder, and the sound of a sudden downpour of rain was quite audible. 

And then, abruptly, Ichijou heard alarmed shrieks, followed by the feeling of something diving beneath the covers. Two somethings, in fact, and the next flash of lightning revealed Aoi and Sora peeking out at him. The deafening clap of thunder had them both scurrying beneath Ichijou’s shirt, and Godai was pressed against his side.

Ichijou slipped an arm around Godai, drawing him closer, and did his best to rub his back soothingly. He ran his hand over the babies, who remained huddled beneath his shirt, curled up on his chest. 

The rain continued pouring down, but the thunder gradually moved off into the distance, and the lightning became less frequent until it was gone altogether. At some point, Aoi and Sora had nodded off, and Ichijou was loathe to disturb them, so instead, he turned his head to look at Godai. “Are you all right?”

Godai nodded, sighing softly. “Ever since I…died…storms make me think of the defibrillators. I know I wasn’t exactly aware when it was happening, but…it was like lightning surging through my body. It wasn’t pleasant.”

Ichijou’s grip tightened around him. “I never even considered…” he murmured, trailing off. What could he say? He couldn’t go out and fight the weather, or do anything to change it. 

He felt Godai’s hand rest on Aoi and Sora’s backs. “I guess they don’t like it either.”

“It’s a very big sound, to such tiny children,” Ichijou said. “Surely it startled them awake, and they didn’t know what was happening.”

“Want me to put them back in their bed?” Godai offered.

“Do you think it would be safe if we let them sleep in here with us? I’m just worried that one of us could roll over onto them during the night.” Ichijou frowned. “I just don’t want them to wake up scared again.”

He felt Godai shift out of his grip, and pad out of the room, returning a few moments later, and Ichijou had no idea what he was doing. Could Godai see that well in the darkness? Then he felt Godai’s hands slipping beneath Aoi and Sora’s slumbering forms, lifting them out from beneath Ichijou’s shirt. 

After another moment, Godai slid beneath the covers once again. “I brought their bed in here, and put it next to your dresser. That way, they’re still close by, but safe enough in their own bed.”

“Good thinking,” Ichijou murmured, kissing him gently. 

“Sorry…I guess that killed any possibility of doing anything.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ichijou said, drawing Godai closer. “I _do_ enjoy just sleeping beside you, you know.”

“But you like the other stuff, too,” Godai teased.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”

Godai chuckled softly, laying his head on Ichijou’s shoulder and yawning widely. “But moments like this _are_ good.”

Ichijou smiled, listening to Godai’s breathing even out as he slid into slumber, and he pressed a kiss to his forehead, his own eyes growing heavy, and he decided to follow Godai to dreamland.


	10. Chapter 10

The temperature continued to rise as the month passed, and Ichijou was somewhat thankful that the Unidentified Lifeforms had still not made a move. At least he was able to spend most of the day within the precinct, instead of out on the sweltering street, or driving to a crime scene with his cruiser’s sad excuse for air conditioning on full blast. 

Godai, bless him, had taken a look at the air conditioning at the apartment, and gotten it running again, so at least Ichijou could come back to a cool, comfortable home when his shift ended. They’d all been a bit lethargic before that…the heat was oppressive, like a hot, damp quilt draped over their bodies.

It was too bad they couldn’t take a vacation, Godai thought to himself. The beaches were surely crowded, but he was pretty sure he knew of a few spots that would have few or no people, where they could enjoy a day out. But just because things had been quiet, didn’t mean that they would continue that way, and Godai didn’t want to be out of the city if a new Unidentified Lifeform suddenly showed up. Whenever this was all over, he wondered if Ichijou could take some time off from work so they could take a family vacation. They definitely deserved it, after all of this fighting…and doing something as a family would be great. 

As Godai thought about it, an idea began to form in his mind, and he grabbed a sheet of paper, sketching his idea out, before making a list of things he’d need to buy.

*

When Ichijou returned home that evening, he thought the apartment was empty, at first. But then he heard what sounded like Godai’s laughter, and the loud clicking that meant that Aoi and Sora were happy, or perhaps even laughing in their own way. He frowned, slipping off his shoes and setting them neatly to the side. “Godai?”

Godai peered up past the kitchen island’s counter, and he smiled brightly upon seeing Ichijou. “Oh, welcome home, Ichijou-san!”

“What are you doing?” Ichijou asked, making his way across the room, still hearing the babies clicking away happily, and what sounded like…splashing?

“Come see,” Godai said, waving him over.

Ichijou went around the counter to the kitchen’s entranceway, and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight before him.

There was a long, shallow plastic tub sitting on a beach towel on the floor, perhaps what would normally be used to bathe young children in, but this one had a layer of what looked like sand in it, and an inflatable palm tree sat in the corner. There was an oblong bowl sitting in the middle of the sand, full of water, and Aoi and Sora were floating around on small inflatable inner tubes. When Aoi saw Ichijou, she chirped happily, splashing and waving, and Sora clicked excitedly, his little wings fluttering and splashing water everywhere.

Ichijou crouched down beside Godai. “Well…this certainly is creative.”

“I figured since we couldn’t go to the beach, I could at least bring the beach to them,” Godai murmured. “Once I got the idea in my head, I had to figure out how to do it. The little inner tubes are made for holding soda cans in a pool, but they’re a good size for a baby Kuuga and a baby Gouram, don’t you think?”

Aoi clicked in agreement, and Godai chuckled. “They’ve been having a blast. I think they like the splashing best, just like at bathtime. I set everything up in here since it’s the easiest part of the apartment to clean up.”

None of this would have ever occurred to Ichijou, and he was thankful that Godai had come up with the idea. 

“Oh! And for us…I made pina coladas,” Godai announced, getting to his feet and pouring a frothy mixture from the blender (that Ichijou didn’t recall owning before today) into a tropical-printed glass (which he also didn’t recognize), and handed it to Ichijou.

“You went all out,” Ichijou murmured, taking a sip, the cold beverage tasting wonderful after a long day.

Godai shrugged, but he couldn’t hide the pleased smile that crossed his lips. “This is nothing. Wait until I can actually take you guys on a _real_ vacation! Next summer, maybe we can go to an actual beach. Or a hot spring. Or maybe just a weekend trip somewhere.”

Ichijou was rendered speechless. Godai was already thinking ahead to next year? He felt foolish, suddenly; it wasn’t as though Godai was planning on simply leaving them behind after everything was over. 

His thoughts must have been plain on his face, because Godai reached over and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, smiling gently at him, and Ichijou couldn’t help but return the smile.

“So, shall I start dinner? I figured something light, and nice and cool, since it’s so hot today. I just need to make the dressing for the salad, but I’ve got shrimp cocktail chilling in the fridge, and a really nice assortment of tropical fruit,” Godai said, getting to his feet. “You kids want to get out of the pool for a little bit?”

Aoi and Sora clicked excitedly, and Ichijou lifted them from their floats, drying them off with the tea towel that Godai handed him (which, he just noticed, now bore a small Kuuga emblem, stitched in the corner).

Godai laid an enormous beach towel out on the living room floor, before bringing everything out and setting it on the low table so they could serve themselves. It was simple, light fare, but all of it was delicious, and Ichijou told Godai as much, leaning over to kiss his cheek. 

After dinner, Godai cleaned up, and Ichijou changed into a much more casual T-shirt and shorts. He remembered the first time Godai had seen him in the same outfit, saying how he looked so different when he wasn’t wearing a suit. Godai had seen him in various states of undress at that point, and Ichijou didn’t understand what he meant, until Godai had pointed out how he seemed so much more comfortable being himself around Godai now. It was true, he supposed; earlier on, Ichijou had seemed almost afraid to lower his guard, to do so much as remove his suit jacket in Godai’s presence. Now, it was one of the first things he did when he got home in the evenings, right after kissing Godai.

The kids paddled around in their makeshift pool for a little while longer, but they were definitely winding down for the night, and when Sora dozed off on his float, Godai lifted them both out, and Ichijou dried them off once again. “I can clean this up, since you set it all up,” Ichijou offered. “Why don’t you take a break? You deserve it. This was a wonderful evening.”

“Ok. I’ll sit with the kids and watch some TV or something,” Godai agreed, smothering a yawn behind his hand. “Oh, there’s a little plastic container for the sand, in case we set this up again for them. There’s a bag in your front closet for everything, I’ll grab that for you, at least.”

Ichijou nodded, and by the time he’d poured out the water in the little ‘pool’, Godai had returned with the bag. Despite Ichijou’s offer to clean up, Godai helped him pour the sand back into the container, wiping the inside of the tub with a handful of paper towels to make sure it was entirely clean, before slipping it into the bag, followed by the now-dry ‘pool’, and the deflated floats and palm tree. 

By the time they stowed the bag in the closet and went into the living room, Aoi and Sora were sound asleep on the beach towel. Godai smiled, bending down to pick them up, and they sat down on the couch. The babies made themselves quite comfortable, sprawled across both of their fathers’ laps, and Godai leaned his head against Ichijou’s shoulder, drifting off to sleep just a short time later.

Ichijou didn’t know how long they sat there, and he may have dozed off at one point, but he was loathe to disturb his sleeping family. It was cool and comfortable, he was full from dinner and relaxed from the drinks he and Godai had shared, and Godai was a comforting weight against his shoulder. Ichijou couldn’t help but slide an arm around Godai, closing his eyes for a moment and enjoying such a simple moment, listening to the soft clicking snores from the babies.

He was so happy.

Ichijou opened his eyes, brushing his lips gently against Godai’s forehead, feeling on the verge of tears all of a sudden. “When everything is over…we should get married,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He hadn’t expected an answer. Godai had been sound asleep.

So it came as a shock when Godai replied, “Ok.” 

Ichijou’s eyes widened, and he glanced down at Godai, meeting his sleepy gaze. “You were awake?”

Godai made a sound of affirmation, yawning hugely, but then he smiled. 

“You…really mean it?” Ichijou murmured.

“Of course,” Godai replied, snuggling closer to him. “Already feels kind of like we’re married, but…it’ll be nice to make it official, don’t you think?”

A relieved smile crossed Ichijou’s lips, and he nodded. “I don’t say it nearly enough, but…I love you, Yusuke.”

Godai’s lips brushed against Ichijou’s neck. “You don’t say my name nearly enough either,” he stated, leaning in to kiss him gently. “I love you too, Kaoru-san.”

“We should go to bed,” Ichijou murmured.

“Hmm…suddenly I’m wide awake,” Godai teased, as he and Ichijou got the babies tucked into their bed.

“I _had_ meant for sleeping.”

“But?”

Ichijou huffed, but added, “But…I suppose I wouldn’t be against staying up a little longer.”

Godai grinned, taking Ichijou’s hand in his and pressing his lips to it, before leading him to the bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to find one of the "killed offscreen" Grongi to use for the sex pollen one, and it's off as far as the timeline goes, but Me-Uzaa-Da was associated with a rabbit and...the pollen made Godai and Ichijou fuck like rabbits...look, just go with it, ok? (just pretend that they weren't defeated between episodes 20-21 because that doesn't work with my timeline, but shhhh, I made an attempt here).
> 
> Also congrats on the eggs, Ichijou, idk. >:3c


End file.
